“Nope,” Aiden replies, and his thumb stops, but only so he can use both hands to adjust my legs wider, giving himself better access to me. “Firsts are firsts, Cypress. I’m owed at least two for that before you get to…eat.”
“I don’t recall that being written anywhere.”
“Then find a damn pen.”
“Are you two really arguing over—” I start to say, taking advantage of my temporary reprieve, but I stop, mouth still open as I watch Aiden spit right where he has me spread open beneath him. The clear liquid landing over my entrance so that he can use two of his fingers to spread it upward, gliding over my clit in a way that makes my back arch.
“All right, two,” I hear Cypress say from nearby. “So we’re even.”
“No,” Aiden says again. “I get three.Thenwe’re even.”
“How do you figure?”
“Because you’re going to make her come when I’m done. And then you’ll be ahead again.”
“You—cannot—” I’m panting, already close to coming based on the way my thighs are starting to shake. “You cannot seriously be—”
Aiden’s fingers slip lower, teasing my entrance, not quite pushing inside, and God, I’m about tobeghim before he lowers his head and wraps his lips around my clit again. I comehard, moaning so loudly that I almost don’t hear him tell me after, “Shh, baby, we’re negotiating.”
With some effort, I lift my head to glare at him. “Can’t help but feel—” I look between him and Cypress. “Feel like I should get asay in this.”
“Maybe if you hadn’t left us in the middle of the night, sweetheart. Best take your punishment,” Aiden replies, glaring back, but his expression softens before he asks, “You want us to stop?”
I plan to tell him that my heart is already pounding, that I’m already sure I’m not going to survive if they areactuallyserious about what they’renegotiating, but all that comes out of my mouth is a breathy sounding, “No. Don’t stop.”
He grins. “Thought you’d say that. Really are meant for us, baby, aren’t you?”
“She is,” Cypress murmurs, and when I look back at him, he lifts my right hand to his mouth, kissing my palm and each of my fingertips in turn. “You know, I did warn you, Cora, about not being able to lift these lovely fingers by the time we are through.” He looks at Aiden. “You said three to call, wolf?”
Aiden nods, still grinning, a mirror to the expression on Cypress’s face as he keeps his eyes on me while asking him, “And what if I were to raise you?”
I wake believing I’m in a windowless room before I have a chance to see the stars, to see Aiden and Cora asleep beside me.
She looks beautiful…as well as thoroughly debauched with her kiss-swollen lips, mused hair, and rumpled clothes. Her bare legs intertwined with Aiden’s as he sleeps wrapped around her, his face completely relaxed in a way it rarely is when he’s awake.
His hand is outstretched in my direction, telling me that he had a hold of me, too, before I was jarred away from where Cora was curled against me.
Unable to stay put, I get to my feet, walking to the horses where they graze nearby and leading them back, trying to dispel the anxious feeling that still clings to me. Hating to wake either Aiden or Cora despite the feeling in my gut that it’s time for us to move on.
I reach down and nudge Aiden awake first, and as usual, he’s immediately at attention, his eyes searching and his body poised to act.
“It’s all right,” I reassure him. “But we should likely start heading back.”
He nods, carefully disentangling himself from Cora before standing and stretching. I keep my face turned away so that he can’t study it.
“Think maybe we wore her out?” he asks wryly, and I glance back at Cora still sleeping soundly, some of the tension easing from my frame as I laugh.
“For now. May your God help you, Aiden, when she learns to turn those talents you’re teaching her back on you.”
“Ought to start listening to your own warnings, Cy,” he says, crouching to scoop her up before adding, “She can ride with me.”
I murmur my agreement, knowing he’s not yet ready to be separated from her as I move to tie Tess’s reins to my saddle. Cora only stirs when I take hold of her long enough for Aiden to swing up on Helios.
“Go back to sleep,” I murmur to her while she’s cradled against my chest. “We’re only heading back to camp.”
She nods as I pass her up to Aiden and watch her settle against his chest while he places a gentle kiss against her hair.
“Mm, that’s good,” she mumbles. “Will be nice to be home.”